Request for Proposals (RFP) – Copiers

6 thoughts on “Request for Proposals (RFP) – Copiers”

1. Question 1. In Section VI. Post Award Requirements, under D. Reporting Process and Payment of Administrative Fee, what is the 3% and 6% administrative fee based off of? Is it based off of the sales of the products, services, maintenance or all? Can you please clarify?

   Question 2. In Section VI. Post Award Requirements, under C. Payment of Administrative Fees, How do we determine between OETC member and non-members?

   Question 3.
   In Section VII. Terms & Conditions, Under D. General Terms and Conditions, 8. Delivery schedule reads: “must notify and provide evidence to OETC via mail or fax within twenty (20) business days from the date OETC places and order to claim an exception from the specified delivery schedule.”

   Could OETC consider: “must notify and provide evidence to OETC via mail or fax within twenty (20) business days after receipt of order to claim an exception from the specified delivery schedule.”

   Reply

   1. Question 1.
      The fee is based off the gross amount of any products or services you sell that was bid for this contract, if awarded.

      Question 2.
      As stated in the RFP our membership is listed at http://www.oetc.org/about/membership. That list is searchable, sortable, and comes with the ability to be downloaded in CSV or copied to your computer’s clip board.

      Awarded bidders are encouraged to speak with the Executive Director about qualified non-members wishing to purchase off of a contract, as OETC does work with vendors to bring new members on to avoid higher admin fees.

      Question 3.

      The proposed language is acceptable to OETC. When you submit your proposal, submit that change, and OETC will accept it.

      Reply

2. 1. Section III, H. 2. The content of offers will not be disclosed until all Offers have been evaluated, negotiations completed if required, and an Intent to Award has been published. Conflicts with Section VII, D.5. The contents of Qualified Bidder’s proposals shall be considered confidential and will not be made public record, except in instances where Consortium Members require verification of the competitive bid process in compliance with state law.

   Question: Will the contents of bidder’s proposals be considered confidential, except in instances where Consortium Members require verification of the competitive bid process in compliance with state law?

   2. Section I : 3/29/2010 Questions Deadline All questions from Manufacturers or their Authorized Dealer(s) must be submitted to OETC either by letter
   or email (contracts@oetc.org) conflicts with Section III, J. 3. Written questions, changes, clarification, or protest must be faxed to (503) 625-0504 or hand delivered to the attention of OETC’s “Administrative Specialist” at OETC’s office.

   Question: Should all questions, changes, clarifications, or protests be submitted to OETC at: (contracts@oetc.org)?

   3. Section IV, C.4. All items bid must be “New” as defined: a. “New” means composed of previously unused components, whether manufactured from virgin material, recovered material in the form of raw material, or materials and by-products generated from, and reused within, an original manufacturing process.

   Question: What perentage % of recovered material can be used?

   4. Section V, D.1.
   Qualified Bidders shall provide in their responses to this RFP a statement
   certifying that the price paid by the Consortium Member is the lowest possible
   price available to Consortium Members from the Qualified Bidder.

   Question: Each contract contains different terms and conditions and thus it is very hard to reflect the same pricing schedule between contracts that represent different levels of liability. We respectfully ask that this requirement be removed as it is difficult to substantiate.

   5. Section VII, D.8. Failure to meet the delivery schedule may result in the cancellation of an order except in the event where labor strikes, natural disaster, or other circumstances beyond the control of the Selected Reseller directly affect the delivery schedule. The Selected Reseller must notify and provide evidence to OETC via mail or fax within twenty (20) business days from the date OETC places an order to claim an exception from the specified delivery schedule. Delays in the delivery schedule not expected that cause additional shipping expenses, up to and including airfreight shipments, to insure timely delivery of product as requested by OETC, will be the sole responsibility of the Selected Reseller.

   Question: Please define “Delivery Schedule”. We request that a 30 day delivery become the mandatory target.

   6. Distribution of products

   In response to multi-state solicitations, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) will routinely provide a “manufacturer bid response” rather than to “certify” individual dealer bids. In an effort to provide our State customers with the highest level of contract performance possible, we are able to provide “one standardized pricing schedule”, which lists all brands (mainframes and accessories) at exactly the same price. Though the contract is performed in conjunction with our various partners it is managed corporately through a central and single point of contact.

   Can an OEM, that distributes their products through multiple channels under different brands, submit one pricing schedule (listing all brands) at the same price?

   Reply

   1. Question 1.

      There is no conflict. The content of offers will not be disclosed–to anyone–until an Intent to Award has been published. After an Intent to Award has been published, offers will still be kept considered confidential, except where consortium members require verification.

      The answer to your question is yes, OETC keeps all bids confidential unless members require the documentation.

      Question 2.

      If you submit written questions, physical and on-paper, they must be faxed or delivered to the “Administrative Specialist.” If you wish to email questions, you should email them to contracts@oetc.org.

      Protests must be submitted in writing, and thus delivered or faxed to the “Administrative Specialist”

      Question 3

      Each state has product guidelines for determining if a a product can be advertised as new, or must be advertised as refurbished or used. Proposers must submit bids for products that can be sold as new in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

      Question 4

      OETC agrees that copier contracts are complex and have many variables. But we disagree that these variables are not quantifiable, and therefore not possible to substantiate.

      In fact the very process of evaluating bids is the process of quantifying these variables.

      Proposers must certify that the products bid, under the bids terms and conditions, will be the lowest price available to consortium members. OETC intends to hold awarded bidders to this certification for bid products sold under materially the same terms and conditions.

      Question 5
      Delivery schedules are set between consortium member and the vendor. 30 days is common, but sometimes shorter schedules are made and sometimes longer. OETC is only concerned that awarded vendors uphold the delivery schedule negotiated with members.

      Question 6
      OETC is unclear what the question is asking. If the question is whether manufacturers can bid a line of products, or multiple lines of products, and then have numerous agents, resellers or OEM distributors have access to that pricing, then the answer is yes. As long as the manufacturer agents adhere to the terms and conditions of the bid, awarded bidders may assign to their agents the ability to utilize the contract.

      If that doesn’t answer the question, please follow-up with an email to contracts@oetc.org.

      Reply

3. Ref. RFP Evaluation A.2(c): Please clarify “professional development.” Is this training?
   Are members self insured for damage to equipment?
   Is OETC looking to award to a sole source vendor?
   Ref. RFP Evaluation A.3: Do the “4 educational references” need to be OETC member institutions?
   Is the bidder to provide 4 educational references, plus references from OETC member institutions in Oregon and Washington?
   Re: items (a) “References that are a mix of large and small members (as measured by student enrollment).” How many references do you expect for this category?
   What is the vendor’s obligation to sell to non-members?
   The RFP states that certain accessories are to be bid. Are these to be bid as part of the standard configuration for each segment? Or is the bidder just to list these as optional accessories?

   Reply

4. Yes, this is training.

   Unsure. That would need to be discussed with individual members.

   OETC does not have that as a goal. It is a possibility. OETC is looking to bring the best value to its members.

   Respondents must provide at least 4 educational references. That is the minimum requirement to be qualified as a responsive proposer. Respondents will receive the most points for providing references that are a mix of Oregon and Washington schools, which are OETC members, and which are a mix of large and small districts as measured by student enrollment. OETC expects as many references as a respondent needs to meet those requirements; however, the minimum is four (4). There are no points awarded for how many references over four (4) are submitted. For example, 10 references that are all Oregon OETC members comprised of small districts would receiver fewer points than six (6) references comprised of OETC members in both Washington and Oregon, and which are comprised of large and small districts, but both proposals would be qualified.

   Please see above answer.

   No obligation.

   Each segment requires certain accessories segments to be bid. These requirements can be found in §IV C 2.

   Reply